Monthly archives: April 2011

Apr

30

2011

If we keep getting “extreme” weather events with this frequency, we’ll have to start calling them “routine.” Take a look back at April: It set a preliminary record of more than 850 tornadoes, including the April 14-16 “outbreak” that killed 34 and the April 27 “super outbreak” that has taken more than 350 lives. With each episode, the question comes up, “What is causing this?” Is the climate changing? Is the uptick in extreme weather a function of global warming? Read more.

Apr

30

2011

The difficult task of sorting through debris across the southeastern United States continues as the grim statistics from a deadly tornado outbreak are tallied. At latest count, at least 342 people have been confirmed dead making the event the second deadliest single day outbreak in U.S. history. Read more.

Apr

29

2011

The worst tornado outbreak in more than 35 years struck the South this week claiming at least 300 lives across six states. From their perch 22,000 miles above the Earth, NASA satellites captured astounding images of the event as it was at its peak. Read more.

Apr

28

2011

EL PASO, Texas — Severe weather overnight left six Southern states in turmoil.

This massive storms, killing at least 234 people, could end up being most devastating tornado outbreak in the nation’s history.

KFOX 14 spoke with a local Red Cross volunteer who’s on her way to ground zero. Margie Day is a retired nurse. Day spoke with KFOX 14 while she was on hold with a travel agency. She’s tried to book the next possible flight to Mississipi, so she could put her skills to use. . . (Full Article)

Apr

28

2011

More extreme and violent climate is a direct consequence of human-caused climate change (whether or not we can determine if theseparticular tornado outbreaks were caused or worsened by climate change). There is a reason it isn’t called global warming anymore. Higher temperatures are only one — and not the most worrisome — of the consequences of a changing climate. Read more.

Apr

27

2011

OVER EIGHT million people are facing severe food and water shortages across the Horn of Africa, according to aid agencies, with parts of the region suffering from the worst drought in 30 years.

A lack of seasonal rains has led to failed harvests, acute water shortages and the deaths of thousands of animals in the region, said the Consortium of British Humanitarian Agencies (CBHA), forcing people to flee their homes in their tens of thousands in search of water and pasture for their livestock… (Full Article)

Apr

27

2011

Amid his trip to New York City on Wednesday night, President Obama devoted some of his attention 900 miles away – to the state of Alabama, which was devastated by tornadoes and severe storms that killed dozens of people.

“Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this devastation, and we commend the heroic efforts of those who have been working tirelessly to respond to this disaster,” Obama said, according to a White House statement. . . (Full Article)

Apr

27

2011

The rise in food prices has been linked in part due to extreme weather throughout the world, which has crippled some vital crop regions, including in some cases unprecedented droughts in Russia, China, and the US; floods in Australia and Pakistan; and a severe winter in Europe and parts of the US. Experts say that climate change is likely intensifying such extreme weather events, and causing them to occur with greater frequency. Read More.

Apr

27

2011

The wildfires still burning through Texas are some of the worst the state has ever seen. Even after weeks of fighting, on April 27 there were still 17 major fires burning, covering about 573,000 acres, according to the Texas Forest Service. And since January, 840 fires have consumed more than 1.5 million acres. That already far eclipses the 293,000 acres that burned in Texas in all of 2010, and is approaching the 3.4 million acres that burned across the entire U.S. last year. Read more.